Paramedic suspended for eating celery

16th September 2008

A paramedic has been suspended for six months after a Health Professions Council panel heard he was reported to have eaten celery while a man was dying.

His colleague also placed a prawn on the dying patient's chin. The incident was reported by an emergency care practitioner, Darren Claydon. Dr Alexander Yule, the panel chairman, said: "The panel finds Mr Claydon to be a credible witness. We found proof that Mr Greedy took and ate a stick of celery while the patient was being resuscitated. It is clearly wrong and insensitive to behave in this way in a patient's home while on duty."